Cuomo to look into 1988 Long Island Murders

Gov. Eliot Spitzer appointed Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday as a special prosecutor to investigate the 1988 murders of a Long Island couple whose son, Martin H. Tankleff, was recently released from prison after doubts arose over his conviction in their deaths.

Mr. Tankleff was convicted in 1990 of the murders of Arlene and Seymour Tankleff and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

After he had served 17 years, protesting his innocence throughout, a state appellate court last month overturned the conviction.

The decision cited the “cumulative effect” of new witnesses and extensive new evidence pointing to other suspects.